CIM-0900-17F-546-0919-02_SignInstallationGuide_Part1.pdf

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United States Department of Agriculture

Forest Service

Technology & Development Program

7100–Engineering July 2003

0371-2812-MTDC

Sign Installation Guide

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In cooperation with

United States Department of Transportation

Federal Highway Administration

U N

ITED

STATES OF AMERIC

A

D E

P A

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MENT OF TRANSPORTA

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CIM-0900-17F-546-0919-02 Install ANF Rec Signs

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Sign Installation Guide

Donna Sheehy Traffic Management Engineer

Andy Trent Project Leader

USDA Forest Service Technology and Development Program Missoula, MT

6E62H99—Sign Installation Field Guide

June 2003

Some photographs in this manual have been digitally altered to remove distracting features.

The Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, has developed this information for the guidance of its employees, its contractors, and its cooperating Federal and State agencies, and is not responsible for the interpretation or use of this information by anyone except its own employees. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader, and does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250- 9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Thanks to:

Ted J. Cote—MTDC John Bell—WO James Kautz—MTDC Mike Noland—R-3 Cathy Satterfield—FHWA Pete Odegard—R-1

Library Card

Trent, Andy; Sheehy, Donna. 2003. Sign Installation Guide. Tech. Rep. 0371-2812-MTDC.

Missoula, MT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Missoula Technology and Development Center. 18 p.

Includes 18 color photographs showing the specifications for placing signs along Forest Service roads. Intended to help new employees or volunteers install road signs.

Keywords: road signs, specifications, standards.

ii

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Installation Notes Proper location, position, and erection of signs is very important. The effectiveness of a sign can be compromised if it is not installed correctly. A sign that is confusing, or one that a driver cannot see in time, is useless. This guide contains information needed to install traffic control signs on National Forest System Roads (NFSR) in accordance with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and EM-7100-15, Sign and Poster Guidelines for the Forest Service. It provides a quick visual reference to field personnel placing and maintaining the most often used signs and markers. It does not include every type of sign or marker used, but should give contractors, cooperators, volunteers, and Forest Service personnel a clear picture of how signs should be installed.

Before any signs are installed on the ground, this guide assumes that:

• A sign plan has been completed and approved that determines appropriate sign messages and correct locations according to chapter 3, EM-7100-15.

• Engineering judgment has been used in determining the need for and placement of all regulatory and warning signs.

• All traffic control signs meet MUTCD and Forest Service standards.

Uniform positioning of signs is highly desirable. However, because no two roads or situations are exactly alike, standards and guidelines may need to be modified to fit the sign to the road.

This guide should be kept in the glove box of vehicles used by personnel installing signs. A quick check of the guide should ensure far fewer errors in installations. The guide is not intended to serve as a substitute for training, but is intended to help trained personnel charged with installing and maintaining signs.

Refer to Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and EM-7100-15, Sign and Poster Guidelines for the Forest Service, for complete information.

ii iii iii

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Typical Installations

Mount top of sign flush with top of post. A 1-in gap is allowable between multiple (stacked) signs to allow for expansion/contraction.

Low-volume rural roads

Use 7 ft min. (secondary sign 6 ft min.) in:

• Urban areas

• Business, commercial, or residential areas

• Parking or pedestrian movement areas

• Areas with view obstructions

State and county requirements may vary.

Check with local jurisdiction when installing signs on county, State, or Federal roads.

A written agreement must be in place to install signs in other jurisdictions.

Signs should be erected on separate posts except where one sign supplements another or where route or directional signs must be grouped.

Locate signs on right-hand side of the road unless specific standards require otherwise.

Signs should not obscure each other or be hidden from view by other objects. Avoid locations such as:

• Dips in the road

• Just beyond the crest of a hill

• Where sign may interfere with normal operation of facility

• Trees and foilage that could cover sign

• Snow removal areas iii

*On low-volume roads (fewer than 400 vehicles per day) a lateral offset of not less than 2 ft from the roadway edge to the roadside edge of a sign may be used where roadside features such as terrain, shrubbery, and/or trees prevent standard lateral placement.

Not less than 6 ft *

E d g e o f p av em en t o r sh o u ld er

5 ft min.

(rural)

Shoulder

4 ft min.

DUTCH JOHN 5

TRUCKEE 3

Not less than 6 ft *

7 ft min.

(urban) 5 ft min.

(rural)

HEAVY

TRUCK

TRAFFIC

E d g e o f p av em en t o r sh o u ld er iv

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Typical Marker Installations iv

Route Markers

Object Markers

3 i n m in

3 i n m in

Saf e p as sin g si de

Curb, guardrail, or hazardous obstruction to be marked.

4 ft recommended*

*Vertical mounting height may vary according to need when an object requires a lower or higher mounting height. Mount at least 6 in above road surface.

Inside edge of marker in line with inner edge of the obstruction.

Stripes slope down at an angle of 45 ° toward the side where traffic will pass the obstruction.

Road surface

Road surface

Road surface

3 ft min.

**Not less than 2 ft for low-volume roads

8 ft or less

Edge of pavement or shoulder

4 ft recommended*

Guardrail end

Bridge with railing but no curb. Mark the inner edge of the railing.

5 ft min.

3.5 ft min.

3 341

Not less than 6 ft **

Edge of pavement or shoulder

2 ft min.

4 ft min.

Not less than 6 ft **

MILE

Edge of pavement or shoulder v v

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Direction of travel

Direction of travel

Typical Breakaway Support

Typical Hole Spacing Detail 18 in

Breakaway holes

Breakaway holes

D

D

4 in

Sign support

4 inGround line

18 in

CL

T

TB

T = larger dimension of sign support and placed parallel to traffic.

See chart for hole diameter.

For T dimensions not shown on chart, use T/3, rounded up to the nearest 1 ⁄ 2 in.

Wooden Breakaway Sign Support Guidelines v

Breakaway design is required for all posts (new and existing) with a cross-sectional area of 24 sq. in or more, whenever the installation is within the traffic runoff area.

Breakaway holes must be perpendicular to direction of vehicle travel. Dimension T is parallel to direction of vehicle travel and is the larger of the dimensions.

Field drill posts and treat holes with preservative.

4 by 4 None 3 — 4 by 6 drilled 1.5 4 — 6 by 6 drilled 2 4 7 6 by 8 drilled 3 4 7

D minimum depth

(ft) Post size

(in)

Hole diameter

(in)

Breakaway design post sizes B minimum breakaway distance (ft) vi

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Typical Post Spacing and Size Requirements vi

4 by 4 10 20 — —

4 by 6 15 35 45 —

6 by 6 20 50 75 100

Maximum sign area (sq. ft)

1 sign 2 signs 3 signs 4 signs

Maximum Board Size Relationship

Post Size (in)

Nonbreakaway signs should be installed outside the clear zone, behind a guardrail or a nontraversable ditch.

Spacing applies only for signs that have not been predrilled.

37 in min. to 72 in max. length

Typical Three-Post Detail

1 ⁄ 8 Length

73 in min. to 96 in max. length

1 ⁄ 8 Length

3 ⁄ 8 Length

3 ⁄ 8 Length

Typical Two-Post Detail

1 ⁄ 5 Length

1 ⁄ 5 Length

3 ⁄ 5 Length

Typical Single-Post Detail

36 in max.

Nonbreakaway Installations

85 percent Condition Condition requires deceleration Additional distance speed or requires to advisory speed listed (mph) on downgrade (percent) posted speed a stop 10 20 30 40 3 6 9 12 (mph)* (ft) (ft) (ft)

20 nsm** nsm — — — 5 10 20 30 25 nsm 150 — — — 8 15 30 45 30 150 200 150 — — 10 20 45 65 35 200 250 225 — — 15 35 60 90 40 275 325 300 275 — 20 45 75 120 45 350 400 350 300 — 25 55 95 150 50 425 475 450 375 275 30 70 120 185 55 500 550 525 450 350 35 85 145 225

Advance Sign Placement Distances

Wet pavement or gravel—24- by 24-in signs

Regulatory signs—Place at or before the point the prohibition begins.

Warning signs—Place in advance of the condition using the following table.

Signs are to be placed where they provide adequate time for response, considering such things as approach speed, road conditions, etc.

1. Driver may be required to come to a complete stop (such as at stop signs or pedestrian crossings).

2. Driver will probably be required to decrease speed (such as advisory speed for a curve or intersection).

Minimum Placement Distances

**nsm = no suggested minimum. At these speeds, sign location depends on physical conditions at the site.

The table shows the minimum distances a warning sign should be placed in advance of a condition. The minimum distance is the stopping distance after the sign can be read.

Sign placement distances are based on legibility provided by 24-in signs. If 30- or 36-in signs are used, decrease the placement distances by 50 ft. If 48-in signs are used, decrease the placement distances by 125 ft.

vii

1 2

* For higher speeds, refer to MUTCD.

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225 ft

225 ft

Traffic direction

Traffic direction

Advance placement dis-tances should have been determined according to the chart on page vii. However, on-the-ground situations do not always fit the given dis-tances for sign placement.

Some shift ing may be needed when rocks, trees, holes, or other obstructions preclude the use of given distances. Engineering judgment needs to be used to ensure that signs are placed to be visible in time for drivers to react to the sign’s message.

Guide signs—Placed at varying locations depending on purpose, need, and speed of traffic. Use the chart on page vii as a guide. MUTCD indicates placing the sign 200 ft before the condition.

Signs requiring different decisions by the driver must be spaced sufficiently far apart for decisions to be made safely. In situations where two or more signs are needed at approximately the same location, the order of priority is:

1. Regulatory

2. Warning

3. Guide

On the Ground Signs may be shifted left or right to improve their visibility, to avoid obscuring other signs, or to enhance safety of operations.

Distances are for level roadways. Increase placement distance on negative grades of 3 percent or greater.

Placement distance on upgrades may be reduced by one-half the distance listed for downgrades.

viii

(Advance Sign Placement Distances continued)

Example:

Approach speed 35 mph safe turning speed,15 to 20 mph Distance = 225 ft

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ix ix

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Delineator Details ix

The delineators shall be 4- by 4-in (silver) crystal on both sides, Type 1 reflectorized. The delineator housing shall be the bidirectional type and is considered part of the delineator installation.Road surface

Top View

Bidirectional delineator

1. Delineator posts may be galvanized steel U-posts, 1.12 lb per lineal foot, 6.5 ft long, or flexible fiberglass posts.

2. Reflectors may be fastened to posts using rivets or other suitable, nonremovable fasteners.

3. For each direction of travel, install delineators with white reflectors on the right and left side of the road. Exception: yellow reflectors are only used on the left of divided highways or one-way roads.

White diamond reflector

White diamond reflector

U-postDelineators

Travel direction

30 in

48 in

Notes:

x

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Orientation Angle

Signs for motorized traffic control are mounted at approximately right angles to oncoming traffic. It may be necessary to rotate a reflectorized sign slightly off 90 degrees to avoid specular glare reflection off the sign face directly back into the driver’s eyes.

An angle of about 93 degrees to the line of approaching traffic is recommended by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.

On curved alignments, the angle should be determined by the course of approaching traffic and from the point at which the sign is to be read.

On grades, it may be necessary to tilt a sign forward or back from vertical to improve the viewing angle.

x

93°

Traffic direction

Traffic direction 93°

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Regulatory Sign

* See page iii for placement exceptions.

R1-1 R2-1 R12-1

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Warning Sign (no supplemental plaques)

* See page iii for placement exceptions.

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Warning Sign With Advisory Speed Plate Advisory speed plates supplement the warning sign and shall not be used alone.

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Warning Sign With Advisory Speed Plate and Supplemental Plaque

Advisory speed plates and supplemental plaques are not to be used alone.